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Description

“A Federation bureaucrat’s idea of what a gunship should be? You’ll respect the Hammerhead when you’ve seen the damage it can do.”

- Conrad Vaught, Coalition tank commander

“Early model Hammerheads combined solid engineering with unimpressive avionics. Given our own expertise their shortcomings were easily solved.”

- Roz Lockhart, Veyon technician

“The Hammerhead wasn’t the fastest bird, but she was tough and dependable. We could have achieved much more if our fighters had controlled the skies.”

- Tobe Helstrom, Resistance pilot

“Aim for the rotor masts – and pray!”

- Nat Morant, Alliance raider

The Federation’s access to large shale oil reserves earned it the resentment of an increasingly fuel-hungry world. Its leaders considered themselves fair, but the sanctions they imposed on less liberal Coalition states inflamed animosities and ultimately led to war. The Federation’s Hammerheads had already seen much use defending national interests abroad, though the experience their pilots gained against poorly armed irregulars did little to prepare them for their later battles with a technologically advanced, well-organised and ruthless foe. Their Hammerheads were also slower than the Coalition’s Reapers, had a lower service ceiling, less effective weapons and a shorter operating range. Their advantages included stronger airframes, more reliable engines and safer handling near the ground. More emphasis was also placed on pilot comfort and protection, though their dependence on two crew for efficient operation led to greater losses overall.

The Federation’s failures did not spell the end for the Hammerhead. Late production models continue to serve loyalists, often with improvements made by Veyon engineers. The Coalition-backed Alliance fields smaller numbers of usually older machines. Both sides take an obvious interest in acquiring spare parts and denying them to enemies, making Hammerhead components a popular commodity among scavengers and racketeers.

Design Features:

- The Hammerhead’s coaxial rotors provide many of the benefits of a dual rotor system including neutral torque and symmetrical lift, thrust and drag. The single rotor mast is taller but the smaller rotor arcs make low-level operation safer. The coaxial rotor system also saves space during storage and allows the Hammerhead to use smaller landing pads.

- A strong and compact airframe makes the Hammerhead a smaller, harder target than most of its competitors. Heavy armour shields the engines, fuel and crew from ground fire; the H-tail’s twin rudders are less vulnerable than one; and the fixed external undercarriage can take harder landings than a retractable equivalent. The rotor mast is built to survive strikes from smaller shells and rockets, but remains a weak point in an otherwise strong design.

- The Hammerhead’s designers believed two pilots would be better than one, citing increased awareness, a shared workload and emergency backup. Though modern avionics have proved them wrong to some extent – the Reaper being a prime example of an effective single-seater – Hammerheads are more resistant to jamming and system failures and can continue operations with one pilot dead or badly injured.

- Six underwing hardpoints carry rocket pods and missiles. Most Hammerheads were originally armed for low-level air-to-surface strikes but more modern weapon systems have increased their engagement range. A 20mm chaingun in a revolving nose turret provides high volume suppressive fire, though a 30mm autocannon in a fixed mount is sometimes carried instead.

Description

“A Federation bureaucrat’s idea of what a gunship should be? You’ll respect the Hammerhead when you’ve seen the damage it can do.”

- Conrad Vaught, Coalition tank commander

“Early model Hammerheads combined solid engineering with unimpressive avionics. Given our own expertise their shortcomings were easily solved.”

- Roz Lockhart, Veyon technician

“The Hammerhead wasn’t the fastest bird, but she was tough and dependable. We could have achieved much more if our fighters had controlled the skies.”

- Tobe Helstrom, Resistance pilot

“Aim for the rotor masts – and pray!”

- Nat Morant, Alliance raider

The Federation’s access to large shale oil reserves earned it the resentment of an increasingly fuel-hungry world. Its leaders considered themselves fair, but the sanctions they imposed on less liberal Coalition states inflamed animosities and ultimately led to war. The Federation’s Hammerheads had already seen much use defending national interests abroad, though the experience their pilots gained against poorly armed irregulars did little to prepare them for their later battles with a technologically advanced, well-organised and ruthless foe. Their Hammerheads were also slower than the Coalition’s Reapers, had a lower service ceiling, less effective weapons and a shorter operating range. Their advantages included stronger airframes, more reliable engines and safer handling near the ground. More emphasis was also placed on pilot comfort and protection, though their dependence on two crew for efficient operation led to greater losses overall.

The Federation’s failures did not spell the end for the Hammerhead. Late production models continue to serve loyalists, often with improvements made by Veyon engineers. The Coalition-backed Alliance fields smaller numbers of usually older machines. Both sides take an obvious interest in acquiring spare parts and denying them to enemies, making Hammerhead components a popular commodity among scavengers and racketeers.

Design Features:

- The Hammerhead’s coaxial rotors provide many of the benefits of a dual rotor system including neutral torque and symmetrical lift, thrust and drag. The single rotor mast is taller but the smaller rotor arcs make low-level operation safer. The coaxial rotor system also saves space during storage and allows the Hammerhead to use smaller landing pads.

- A strong and compact airframe makes the Hammerhead a smaller, harder target than most of its competitors. Heavy armour shields the engines, fuel and crew from ground fire; the H-tail’s twin rudders are less vulnerable than one; and the fixed external undercarriage can take harder landings than a retractable equivalent. The rotor mast is built to survive strikes from smaller shells and rockets, but remains a weak point in an otherwise strong design.

- The Hammerhead’s designers believed two pilots would be better than one, citing increased awareness, a shared workload and emergency backup. Though modern avionics have proved them wrong to some extent – the Reaper being a prime example of an effective single-seater – Hammerheads are more resistant to jamming and system failures and can continue operations with one pilot dead or badly injured.

- Six underwing hardpoints carry rocket pods and missiles. Most Hammerheads were originally armed for low-level air-to-surface strikes but more modern weapon systems have increased their engagement range. A 20mm chaingun in a revolving nose turret provides high volume suppressive fire, though a 30mm autocannon in a fixed mount is sometimes carried instead.